FRENCHMAN Franck Queudrue's hopes of signing for Middlesbrough on a permanent basis rests on the two clubs reaching agreement over a transfer fee.

Queudrue, on loan from RC Lens until the end of the season, has played a major part in Boro's rise up the Premiership table since joining the club in October.

Impressed McClaren is keen to add the 23-year-old to his playing staff when the loan period expires.

Boro's option to sign Queudrue expired last Friday but the Riverside chief is still hoping to clinch a deal in the summer - but it will not be for the initially proposed fee, thought to have been around £1.5m.

That figure has now risen and it is understood French side Lens are holding out for £3m, £1m more than Boro are prepared to pay for the pacey full-back.

McClaren, who is not worried about being gazumped by any other interested parties at the end of the current campaign, is not too concerned.

"Franck is our player until the end of the season so there's no problems," he said. "After that Lens have their valuation and we have ours."

Despite McClaren waiting until the summer to make a more concrete move for Queudrue, the Boro boss still has hopes of adding another player to his squad before the transfer deadline a week today.

Dutchman Ruud Knol, Manchester United's Quinton Fortune and Racing Santander's Julio Alvarez are all reportedly on the Boro boss's wanted list.

Vitesse Arnhem centre-back Knol is regarded as one of the hottest properties in Holland and has been watched by a host of scouts from across Europe.

Under the guidance of Vitesse coach Ronald Koeman the 21-year-old has made a name for himself after impressing as skipper for his country's Under-21s.

And Vitesse's technical director Jan Streuer admits Knol is available for transfer.

"I heard about the interest, after the under-21 games between England and Holland," said Streuer, who indicated Sunderland, among others, have also been monitoring the youngster.

"It is very possible that they were all watching him. We would be interested in any offers, if there is a good offer then obviously we would talk about it - every player has his price."

But with England centre-backs Gareth Southgate and Ugo Ehiogu on board, McClaren is more likely to have his eyes on wingers Fortune and Alvarez.

Fortune has been unable to hold down a regular place at Old Trafford with Welsh wing wizard Ryan Giggs ahead of him in the pecking order.

And Fortune, who has made 21 appearances for United since the South African's £1.5m move from Atletico Madrid in 1999, is thought to be keen on linking up with former United No. 2 McClaren again.

Last week the Boro chief is known to have shown one top player around the club's Rockliffe training base, but it is unclear whether Fortune was that man.

Frenchman Armand One returned to Cambridge United after a brief trial at Boro on Tuesday, while McClaren has been impressed by 17-year-old Brazilian striker Jair, who is on trial until the end of the week.

Meanwhile, Noel Whelan is in line for a recall for Saturday's clash at Manchester United.

Whelan missed last weekend's clash with Liverpool with a virus but returned to training on Monday.

* New Scotland boss Berti Vogts wants Redcar-born Robbie Stockdale to play his international football north of the border.

Stockdale, who has one England Under-21 cap, qualifies because of a Scottish grandparent